Makeshift Wings
by diabolicalrat
Summary: ItaSakuSasu. It only took one taste of his tainted world to make her heart venomous. Rating may change.
1. Prologue

A/N: Hello there, reader. I'm pretty excited to write this story. It's been something I've been formulating in my mind for a while now. I hope it's not too similar to anyone else's story out there. That's something that always scares me when I first post a new story...

Anyways, I'm not so sure which pairing to post this story under, since I haven't quite decided which one will be the more important yet. I guess I'll put it under the usual Sasuke x Sakura until I decide.

**The rating may change, as well.** I don't know if I'm going to include any lemony/limey moments at this point.

**Story Stats  
Rating: PG-13 or R for subject matter, language, and mild sexual content  
Pairings: ItaSaku, SasuSaku**

Chapter Stats  
Rating: PG  
Pairings: None

I DO NOT OWN NARUTO!

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**P r o l o g u e : M i s t a k e**

It's dark today.

It's darker than it should be.

May in Konoha is usually bright and light-hearted, the air thick with innumerable floral scents and the ground littered with sprouting plants as the children of the academy rush to class for the last chance until autumn to become genin. Birds sing as the new shinobi emerge and the soft wind brushes my face sweetly as I watch and wave from afar.

But this year has been different.

It seems that, due to a long winter, the blossoms never formed, and the air is dead and dry, just like our miserable spirits as we stand before the framed picture of a child lost to the hands of time. It seems that every eye in the village is shining with a tear, that is, except mine, because I've already cried every tear I could muster.

This child should have been my patient. I failed him. I failed Konoha.

His father is standing by my side, and out of shame, I cannot meet his eyes when I tell him I'm sorry for his loss. I left his son to die, even though he does not know it. Had I been there when it happened, had I left my selfish wants behind and just did what I knew I should have done… and realized how everything would end… this child might have fulfilled all of his dreams someday…

Just another face on the wall to remind me that I'm incompetent… and just at that moment, when I'm about to hate that child for doing this to me…

…humanity returns to my heart, and I feel worse than before.

Yes… I continue to reconsider my own life.

------------x------------

My house is dark when I enter it. I'm not sure who had been paying my bills in my absence, but when I flick the light switch, the darkness is chased away by weak beams of artificial sunshine, and they make me wince slightly.

Still garbed in my funeral attire, I drop to my knees on the cold floor, not caring that they will surely be bruised tomorrow, and slump against my front door.

When I left the village with that man… no, creature, I hadn't realized what connotations came along with that decision… and to be honest, even if I had, I wouldn't have cared. In my anger… my frustration… I had sought revenge… just like the man with makeshift wings had, only on him himself…

I didn't understand it then. I didn't understand him until he was dying in my arms, his final amends made to the world and his heart finally free of burden after all those years. Yes, in that moment, I could feel his pain, knowing that it was solely my fault that he would never get to enjoy his ultimate liberation.

I'm startled out of my thoughts by a sudden pounding at the door behind me. I jump back in surprise, and then raise a pallid hand the door and slide it open. I'm greeted by the sight of the village's sunshine, my dearest friend, Naruto. His azure eyes watch me, and he doesn't bother to mask the look of utter hurt in them.

I bite my lip nervously. "Naruto…"

"I told myself I wouldn't bother to speak to you again," he asserts. "It was hard here without you, Sakura!" I immediately take note of the absence of the usual suffix. "You just up and left us for no good reason!"

I knew I would regret saying it, but the words escape my mouth before I can stop them. "Just like Sasuke did, but you weren't mad at him!"

I'm sure his eyes just flickered red. "That's so much different…" His shoes make a hollow sound against the wooden floor, and he's approaching me with nothing short of murderous intent.

"He had a reason! Even though I hated it, even though I still hate it today, I know why he left us!" My back meets with the wall, and he's still coming closer. "But you didn't! You just went on your merry way with…_Itachi_!" He spits the word out like it leaves a bad taste in his mouth. "And just because you wanted to!"

I can't argue with him, because I know he's right.

I don't know how much time passes... probably a few minutes, before I decide it's safe to speak again. His breathing his short and hard, but I can feel him calming down.

"Do you want to know… about it?" His eyes meet mine sadly, and I can tell he's considering my offer half-heartedly. "It's all I can offer you, Naruto, please…"

"Why do you want to tell me anything?" His voice is laced thickly with disdain.

"Because it's important… and you're my best friend."

He sighs and takes a seat on the floor, looking up at me with tired eyes. "Don't leave anything out. Not a single word."

I nod fervently, and then sit down to face him.

I know that this is going to be the second-hardest thing I will ever do in my life, the first being something I must reveal to Naruto. I have to tell him how I left behind my humanity to embrace the very thing he despised. I have to tell him that his mirror image has ceased to exist because of my doing. I have so much to say…

…and maybe if I can succeed in this, I won't be so useless anymore…

I began slowly and cautiously.

"It was on the night of April Fool's Day that my eyes met hell..."

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A/N: Please review!!


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: I apologize for the lack of updates! I've been really, really busy lately! I can't promise that it'll get any better until next Thursday, since it's the start of Easter break. -sigh- It's torture, really.

Chapter Stats:  
Rating: PG  
Pairings: ItaSaku, kinda sorta

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**C h a p t e r O n e : M e e t i n g **

It was on the night of April Fool's Day that my eyes met hell.

You remember that day, don't you, Naruto? We spent the afternoon at the old training grounds, for old time's sake. We laughed a lot then, chatting about Kakashi, Lee, Ino, and … and especially _him_. It was chilly, and you offered me your jacket multiple times, which I promptly refused, even though you never gave up trying. Around nine that night, you walked me home, and you left. It seemed to be a simple situation at the time to you, didn't it?

On the inside, it was not so easy. Why, I cannot tell you, but I was searching for something, something that I knew I couldn't find in this simplicity. It has no name, and it's impossible to describe; craving the unknown is more difficult than you could ever imagine. It ate at me during every hour of the day, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't laugh or cry it off. My insatiable need for this… whatever it was… especially came forth whenever… _his_ name came up in conversation.

It's what drove me to talk a walk that night.

I thought that nobody would be around at that hour, so I left my house without a care, dressed in only thin pajamas and slide-on slippers.

The excursion made no sense, really. I mean, what was I thinking? It's not like I could just walk out into the street and be greeted with the answer to all of my problems, right?

The night seemed normal for a while as I padded along, and I went as far as the gate of the village. I stayed oblivious to the world around me until the moment I was near that bench…

…the bench where _he_ had left me so long ago…

…the last place he was before he left both of our lives in a tailspin.

A strange anger swam through my chilling veins then. Visions… memories of _him_ flashed through my mind rapidly. _How could he betray us so simply? How could he walk away from us and not feel anything? Why didn't he care that we loved him?_

I could only come to one answer. _We were not good enough for him. He was only using us as a stepping stone to get closer to his goal._

I had taken a seat on the bench, my hands clenched into fists at my sides.

_Uchiha Sasuke. I hate you with all of my heart._

And it was then, when this revelation came to light, that two red eyes became visible on the right side of the tree that was directly across from me. They cut through the opaque darkness with ease and glared straight on through me. I jumped forward in surprise, but was then rooted to the spot as genjutsu took my mind.

I don't remember the illusions at all, and that's probably a good thing. The next conscious moment I can remember was the most terrifying moment of my life.

I came to very slowly, as if my mind had to reset after the visceral assault it had been subjected to. Lying sprawled out on my back, I could not open my eyes, and my body felt heavy with an unknown weight. At first, it was unclear if I was even alive, but when I felt hot breath rush into the cavern of my ear, I was sure.

"You are awake." It was a sickeningly familiar voice, and it sent shockwaves throughout my entire body. Something in the back of my mind screamed for me to get up and run, run as fast as I can from this person. But even if I could have, I wouldn't have, and I cannot tell you why.

"Haruno Sakura…" the low voice breathed. "Yes… this is the one."

My mind ran in circles, trying to grasp the situation at hand. I struggled to force my eyes open, but it was useless. A whimper escaped from my lips, and I could hear a faint chuckle, then movement.

"Cancel." At once, my limbs broke free and my eyes snapped open. I was suddenly sitting as my muscles contorted painfully, and I cried out in pain, clutching at my throbbing body.

I was in a forest, undoubtedly one near Konoha. Upon this realization, my mind began to concoct a thousand methods of possible escape.

I had failed, at that point, to factor in the identity of my captor, who loomed over me in the translucent darkness that still lingered in the air.

My eyes met his shoes as I shifted to the right, and I couldn't help but gasp as my sight drew upward. Akatsuki robe, Sharingan eyes, long black hair…

Even though faint night obscured my view, this person was without a doubt Uchiha Itachi.

His eyes were amused, and he said nothing as he crouched to my level, his eyes meeting with my wide ones. "I'll help you if you help me."

Itachi's voice was dignified this time, and immediately recognizable. I jerked back in shock, and I feared that the corners of my eyes would crack if they opened any wider.

In an instant, he was gone and there again, now within an inch of my face. Paralyzed in fear, I could do nothing but gaze into his powerful eyes. I could more than trace the resemblance to his younger brother in his cold face.

He said nothing, only waited for my response. He would have to wait for a few moments while I regained my composure, and he did.

"W-what…?" My voice was merely a whisper, but the forest around us was silent, and my words echoed off of the innumerable trees and plants for a few seconds.

"I know what you're searching for…" His moist breath powdered my face in puffs, and I blinked my eyes in response to its heat. "…and I can help you achieve it…"

"What I'm… searching for?" I repeated it out of confusion, though I knew exactly what he was speaking of. How he knew of my problems, I will never know.

"You want revenge…" he said quietly, his eyes never straying from mine. "You want my little brother to pay for his betrayal…"

Was that it? All I knew was that my conscience went crazy, and my heart felt ready to burst out of my chest. Revenge on Sasuke! Revenge for all of the things he had done to Konoha! This was… perfect!

"…how?" I breathed. Itachi's merciless eyes narrowed in amusement. He drew away from me slowly and pulled me to my feet. The man stood at least a head over me, and in the weak light of the coming dawn, I could see the slashed headband that dauntingly covered his forehead.

"Come with me…" And with that, the man turned on the spot, walking further into the forest. "…if you wish to find what you're looking for."

He knew I would follow him. I shivered in the cold morning air, still only clothed in my nightwear and slippers.

I watched his back as it moved gracefully with his steps. His relation to Sasuke was undeniable, but ironically, they were the worst of enemies. I stifled a chuckle at this.

My mind began to wander as I began to walk behind Itachi. What use could I possibly have to him? What kind of revenge could I have on Sasuke? Is that really what I want?

But the question that seemed to linger there the longest was one that disturbed me the most.

Does this make me as bad as Sasuke?

"Sakura." His tone of voice and pronunciation of my name was exactly that of his brother's. "Hurry."

His pace suddenly sped up, and without warning, he began to dart from tree to tree. I had to leave behind my slippers to keep up, despite the fact that my feet were continuously being pummeled by rocks, sticks, and other debris.

But nothing would stop me now. I had to find out more.

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A/N: Alright, just to tell you right now, the air of this story will change a lot in the coming chapters. I have a detailed idea of the storyline already...

Until next time, ja ne!


	3. Chapter 2

A/N: I still can't help the slowness. -hangs head in shame- It should get better soon, I promise.

For a while, I couldn't decide on how I wanted this story to go. But now I think I have a pretty good idea. I hope I'm not rushing through anything!

Chapter Stats  
Rating: PG (it will change soon!)  
Pairings: SasuSaku, sort of

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**C h a p t e r T w o : W e a k N o M o r e**

Time passed very quickly throughout our journey. The forest seemed to hypnotize me; the scenery became nothing but a blur, and then it was only me… and this legend named Itachi. He was certainly an unknown to start with, but it seemed that now, his intentions were even more shrouded in mystery.

I clearly remember at that point not being able to equate this person with the one that killed his family.

Judging by the sun, it must have been around noon when reality came back to me, and Itachi was slowing down. I attempted to follow suit, but when I tried to lessen my pace, more of my battered feet touched the branches of the trees, and I lost my balance in pain. With a shriek of something like surprise, I was plummeting to earth at an alarming rate, my back snapping against branches and vines on the way. The ground was closing in on me, and, unable to maneuver in any way, shape, or form, I braced myself for the crash with closed eyes.

Strangely enough, something, or… should I say, someone, had come between myself and the earth in a strange twist of reality. They had caught me effortlessly with their two strong arms, and they pulled me close as they began to run.

I was truly afraid to open my eyes.

It couldn't possibly be Itachi… it definitely wasn't you, Naruto…

So who else would save me?

---------------x---------------

"Sakura…" Naruto isn't looking at me. "I don't understand this…"

"Please, Naruto… just listen to the end… you said you would."

"But…"

We're suddenly interrupted by a cordial knock. I stand up shakily and drag myself to the door, opening it slowly. My eyes are greeted with the sight of a tired-looking Kakashi, still dressed in his dark funeral attire. His dark eye examines me as I examine him, and they finally meet at once.

"Kakashi-sensei…" My voice is weak. "Hello…"

"Sakura. What's going on with you?" His voice is surprisingly of concern rather than aggravation. I cannot reply, for the forlorn look in his eye is shredding my nerves.

"Kaka-sensei, Sakura was just telling me about what happened… come join us," Naruto says from behind me, the light-heartedness gone and leaving an unfamiliar void in its place. "Maybe you'd like to hear it too."

He considers the offer briefly. "I've got nothing better to do."

"It's all I can offer you…" And it truly is.

---------------x---------------

Perhaps it was stupid of me, but after being snatched from the air just before impact by an unknown person, I wasn't about to open my eyes. I played unconscious. Fear clouded my mind, and irrational plans once again began to formulate.

I couldn't help but noticing, though, that the sheer speed of my savoir was a force to be reckoned with. My hair was literally plastered to my head in the same place it had been since I had been caught. What kind of person had that much speed… and is able to maintain it for this amount of time? Only a ninja… and not just any genin…

The running was finally beginning to cease, and I fought the urge to take a peek at this person.

What happened to Itachi? The thought crossed my mind, then. What if I can't find him again? Worse, what if he's angry and he finds me first? Or-- 

I didn't have time to think any further. My savior spoke then, his voice setting off alarms in my head and making my eyes snap open in shock, only to meet blood red ones that stared back blankly.

"Sakura… I know you're awake…" said Uchiha Sasuke. "Why are you here?"

My breath caught in my throat. I couldn't form words at all with my jaw gaping like it was, and even if I could have, I didn't have anything I could say.

I had just been traveling with this man's most hated person on the grounds of revenge on Sasuke himself. And here he was, saving me from death, nonchalantly as always. I was absolutely paralyzed.

"Well?"

I hadn't noticed until then, but he had stopped moving completely, still holding me bridal-style and leaning against a stucco wall. His handsome features were emotionless, and again I was rattled by the resemblance he bore to his older brother.

I grasped at my composure and shifted my weight, encouraging him to let me out of his arms. He complied only after narrowing his eyes at me.

"Wh-what?" I stuttered.

"I said, why are you here?"

I tottered around on my weak legs and was about to topple over when my back met a wall. I pushed myself up against it, keeping my eyes locked on Sasuke. How much does he know? Is he just mocking me?

"I… I… where is… here?" I managed to say, my voice raspy.

"In the forest," he said, obviously annoyed. "I said that before I brought you here." His arms were folded across his chest, which was visible through his open black shirt.

I couldn't outright lie to him. He, with his Sharingan, would catch it right away, and I'd be in serious danger if that happened. I quickly scraped a story together and took a deep breath.

"I was… running away." It was the first excuse that came to mind, and in essence, I wasn't lying.

Sasuke looked unconvinced. "Why?"

"It-it's none of your business." Okay, perhaps this wasn't my move. "I mean, I…"

"You're under the impression that I care about _you_." His voice was brutally cold. "That's not the case."

I felt anger begin to boil in my chest. "Then why did you catch me back there?"

"I hoped you might have information on Itachi's whereabouts, since he's rumored to be in the area," he replied without hesitation. "But I suppose that your ignorance is to be expected."

Itachi. Of course, I knew all too well that he was in the area, but I wasn't about to tell Sasuke.

Was it possible that it was he who set up this coincidence?

My anger was growing. "So why did you want to know my reasons?"

He, on the other hand, remained unscathed, leaning against the wall with arrogance second to none. "Should it matter?"

"In fact, it does," I snarled back.

He simply shrugged and stood up straight, his red eyes fading to onyx lethargically. "Goodbye, Sakura."

Just like that, he had disappeared before my eyes.

Rage burst from my chest, and I pounded two clenched fists into the wall where he had just been leaning. Revenge was sounding better and better to me as the hatred grew.

He had walked away from me without a care. He wasn't even the slightest bit interested in what I had to say, unless it was about Itachi. He… still thought I was useless.

"Do you see how he underestimates you?"

That velvety voice…

It couldn't possibly belong to anyone else.

"Itachi…" I breathed. On cue, a cold hand came in contact with my shoulder, gripping it ever so lightly.

"About that revenge… I am sure you have no doubts now."

He was sinking into my skin, bit by bit. Effortlessly, he was injecting his venom into my heart and changing me to fit his mold.

"At the end of this, you will have shown him that you are no longer the weak girl he left behind on a bench…"

I nodded. "I will be strong…"

Itachi did not bother to hide the amusement in his voice. "You already are."

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A/N: Muahahahaaa. Review?


	4. Chapter 3

A/N: I apologize if this chapter is a little short. It's pretty important, however.

Thanks to all of my reviewers for their thoughts on my writing and story! Really, it makes me feel like writing more.

Chapter Stats  
Rating: PG-13 for situation  
Pairing: ItaSaku

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**C h a p t e r T h r e e : T h e s e F e e l i n g s**

After my encounter with Sasuke, I only vaguely remember what happened right after. Hindsight tells me that I can blame Itachi for that, wanting to conceal the location from my memory as well as possible. Why it mattered, I don't know, because I certainly wasn't about to run away at that point.

Itachi had led me into a run-down hotel nearby. He didn't even bother to disguise himself on the way… I'm assuming he used genjustu instead, since no-one even looked twice at us, despite the fact that he was cloaked with an Akatsuki robe, and I was walking around in a thin, tattered nightgown, and barefoot. We were silent throughout the walk, since he wasn't talking, and I was afraid to initiate.

There is darkness after this, and it only lifts when it comes to my next clear memory.

I was sitting tiredly on an uncomfortable bed when he pulled a set of black clothes out of his cloak. He handed them to me blankly, and I only stared back in confusion.

"Clean up. Be quick," Itachi said, motioning to the bathroom. "There are some matters we have to take care of."

I swallowed nervously, and took the clothes with a shaky hand. It didn't take an expert on fabric to tell that this wasn't your run-of-the-mill material. It had to have been expensive…

I dragged my lagging body into the little room and flicked the light switch. A small fluorescent light flickered feebly over the mirror, which showed me my exhausted, battered reflection.

I slid my hand along the splintered wooden door, about to close it, when Itachi stopped me in my tracks with his dark voice coming from the main room. "Don't bother closing the door."

My eyes widened and I watched my face become pale in the mirror. "Why…?" I had a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach, and my nails instinctively began to dig into the door.

"You have nothing to hide from me."

A million thoughts raced through my mind. Had he been stalking me before? Has he really seen me naked? Why would he want to? Is this a trap? What's going on?

_Where's Sasuke?_

Why that had crossed through my mind, I don't know, but at that very second, Itachi was suddenly behind me with a frozen hand on my neck. I stared at him helplessly in the mirror as he watched me back, dragging his hand along my throat and along my jawline. My hand dropped weakly from the door, and he smirked.

That smirk…

Had I not known any better, I would have thought that Itachi had stolen Sasuke's smirk and claimed it as his own.

"Do you think you know my little brother so well?" His voice was a satanic hymn as it rolled into my mind, washing out every other thought that I had been grasping at. "Do you think that he ever cared about you?"

"I…" When I swallowed, he traced the movement with a finger, sending chills down my spine. I became mute in this tense moment.

"He does think about you… Sakura." My name rolled off of his tongue in a way that made my pulse pound wildly. "From time to time… he wonders what it would be like to… have you…" Itachi's cunning smirk grew wider as my face began to show signs of a cold sweat.

"He has considered using you as a tool… a weak, useless tool… to recreate his beloved clan…"

Even through my fear, this had set off a deep rooted anger in my system. Weak… I hated being weak. I've always hated being weak…

But I was stupid… I was just making myself weaker as I gave into this twisted reality…

"All you have to do… to make him taste his own blood… to make him feel weak instead… to show him that you are no tool…"

I could hardly breathe.

"…is to use him, himself…"

Inhale…

"You will seek him…"

Exhale…

"You will grant all of his wishes…"

Inhale…

"You will gain his trust…"

Exhale…

"And you will betray him, just like he betrayed you."

Choke.

His lips ran down my neck, just barely brushing against the fine hairs on its surface. I bit my lip to stifle the noise of surprise that rose to my throat. His breath was tickling me as it ran over my pallid skin.

He began to speak against my neck. "It will be easy for you."

I struggled to stay standing. I couldn't fight this feeling…

"You, of all people, can tap into his emotions… even seduce him…"

A strong hand tilted my head to the side to face Itachi, who trailed his lips upward along my neck and jaw until he reached my lips. His just barely grazed mine, and I had a despicable urge to close the gap between them right then and there. Why was he making me feel this way? I couldn't help but hate myself for it.

That is, until thoughts of Sasuke resurfaced.

"If you find his strengths and weaknesses… you can destroy him," he whispered.

The hate diminished, and that dark personality that was growing in my veins assured me that this was so wrong, it was right.

Itachi's evil eyes gazed into mine, and his face remained contorted with a smirk. "What do you want, Sakura?"

"Re… revenge…"

---------------x---------------

Naruto stares at me with wide eyes. "So you…?"

I look down guiltily. "I… lusted for Itachi, yes."

A terrible awkwardness hangs tangibly in the air. I feel more than embarrassed for having to reveal this to these people who hated Itachi so terribly, and for good reasons… but it's part of what I have to do. I promised not to skip anything, and that's an agreement I intend to keep.

"Sakura…" Kakashi murmurs. He stares at the floor. I've never seen my old sensei this troubled. "I really didn't see that coming."

I bite my lip. "Neither did I."

---------------x---------------

I never kissed Itachi then. I almost had, but just after I had told him what I wanted, he had disappeared and closed the door behind him.

Just like an Uchiha to leave me on the edge.

I lethargically turned on the shower and peeled off my useless pajamas. The water was frigidly cold, but that was just fine with me. I pulled myself into it and just let the liquid pound on my aching body. It was therapeutic… allowing me to think clearly for the first time that day.

Uchiha Itachi... who was he, really? Even while he terrified me... just a few minutes before, I wanted nothing more than to force myself onto him, to feel his skin on mine...

If what he was saying was true... Sasuke really did notice me. And that, too, stirred my thoughts, but in a different direction.

Even so, Sasuke would be harmed by my doing. I would make sure of it…

I guess I just didn't know how far it would go…

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A/N: Poor Sasuke-kun... xD 


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: Just as I had feared, I think the subject matter of this story mandates a rating change from T to M. Please tell me if you don't agree...

Chapter Stats  
Rating: PG-13 for subject  
Pairings: ItaSaku, suggestion of SasuSaku

--x--

C h a p t e r F o u r : M y S h a m e

I finished my shower after thoroughly cleansing my body with a bar of soap that was provided by the hotel. (It smelled of cheap perfume and wax, and had I been in a different situation, I certainly would have been repulsed by it!) I wrapped myself in a white towel and padded to the sink, where I had deposited the clothes Itachi had given to me. I picked up the garment on top and let it fall out of its folds as I held it up.

It was a black kimono, adorned with delicate red flowers, and a darker red obi. It was an attractive piece of clothing, but the formality of it was nothing short of confusing to me. I examined it carefully; there was no doubt that this was my size.

The next item in the pile was a black push-up bra, adorned in the center with a brass ring. My face burned as I examined it, realizing that it, too, was the correct size. Had Itachi gone through my things when I was out? Or had he measured me himself…?

I shook away the thoughts, and set it aside. A pair of black panties made of lace and silk was the final piece of clothing. I forced myself to ignore the sexual nature of the underwear and began to clothe myself as quickly as possible.

Once covered, I brought myself to the mirror. These clothes looked… good, to say the least. I couldn't help but pose and muse at my reflection, that is, until I saw my wet, pink hair, which was stuck to my face and knotted in the back. What would I do about this mess? I searched around for a brush or comb, but none were to be found. If I was supposed to look attractive, how could I leave it like this?

Punctually, the bathroom door creaked open, and behind it stood Itachi, his eyes lacking Sharingan. I stared at him strangely as he raised an arm and jerked it. The long, baggy sleeve slid aside, and a brush was revealed in his hand.

I took it from him with a quick, "Thanks…" and hurried back to the mirror, trying to avoid any contact with this man. But he didn't leave; he remained there, watching me tend to my hair.

"This will do," Itachi murmured. I wasn't sure if it was directed at me, but I felt my cheeks warm up yet again in response.

"Yes, my brother will find you even more attractive…" I froze. Even more? The fact that he thought I was anything at all was still news to me.

"Are you finished?" I jerked out of my thoughts and glanced at Itachi, who stared at me tiredly. "We only have a short amount of time until you need to go."

"Yeah…" I set the brush down on the sink and turned to face him. He had already turned around and was walking into the main room.

As I emerged from the bathroom, I was immediately swept off of my feet, and suddenly, I was pinned to the bed by a hard body on top of me. I let out a surprised gasp, but half of it was caught in my lungs as I realized my location. His dark face loomed ominously over mine, black strands of hair tickling my cheeks, and his legs were on either side of mine, clamping them tightly and rooted to the floor.

"Do you know what you'll have to do tonight?" Here he goes again, trying to suck me into hell with those damning eyes… "It's the first step towards taking Sasuke to his knees." …and he succeeded this time, just like the last.

I swallowed harshly, and in reaction to my discomfort, Itachi smirked. "If you're unsure of yourself, you'll never be able to pull it off…"

Pull what off? I couldn't get my vocal chords to work, but my mouth formed these words delicately, and he apparently understood. He placed an icy hand on my cheek and smirked more deviously than ever. Fear bubbled in my chest.

"Sasuke is a frequent customer to a certain place in this very town, Sakura… you're going to be working there…" The amusement was uncanny in his normally dead face. "I've already made the necessary arrangements…"

What in the world…? What is he talking about? What kind of place would I be working at… where he's a customer?

The possibilities did not look promising.

"When he enters the room and his eyes meet yours, I'm sure that his mind will be entirely set," Itachi continued. "I'm curious to see how human his heart really is. Has his hatred grown strong enough yet?"

Right then was the first time since the beginning of this ordeal that I had hated Itachi. If it hadn't been for him, Sasuke never would have had the drive to leave Konoha. He never would have hurt us, and the chances that we could still be Team 7 would have been much higher. Had Itachi never murdered the Uchiha clan, Sasuke would have been an entirely different person.

I knew well that Itachi could have read my thoughts then, and, considering my location under his toned chest, could have easily snapped my neck for it, but he just continued to grin smugly.

"If you haven't figured it out yet, you'll be working at a brothel until Sasuke decides to play hero, or loses interest in you," he nearly chortles. "If that is to happen, then I'll have no further use for you…"

My heart stopped. My mind froze. I merely stared into those hateful eyes and withered away as the realization of his words sunk into me at a cellular level.

I was to play a whore. Uchiha Sasuke was to be my customer. If I failed to seduce him, I would be killed.

The world went black.

--x--

Naruto and Kakashi merely gaze at me in astonishment to my confession. Sick laughter escapes from my lips at their expressions, and I feel nothing short of ridiculous. These two men are heroes… and here I am, someone that they care about so dearly, telling them about how I betrayed them carelessly…

At one time, I'd come to consider the members of Team 7 a trigram of three heroes, with myself as the spine, keeping them all pinned together like the backbone of an untamable beast. But now I realize, as I see the tears building up in wild blue eyes, that this was never the case.

I am just a human who was thrown into a team with three angels. Three angels who were damned from the start, who have fought their way from their place in the dirt to a place in the sun…

I take a deep breath and continue to tell my story…

--x--

I now understood the significance of my fancy bra and underwear. My kimono had been removed upon entrance to the disgusting building that was my home for the next few hours. I kept my eyes on the floor most of the time and remained at a table, simply hiding from activities going on around me. Whores came and went into the private rooms with man by man, nearly all of which were loud and belligerent. I couldn't help but gawk at the sheer rapidity of these actions and the number of men who appeared. Those who didn't go to private rooms stayed in the main area and flirted with the whores in a bar-like scenario.

Three hours passed, and I had been consulted by four different men. I had been hesitant, and each of them moved on to a more eager girl within minutes. I was becoming less and less sure that Sasuke would make his appearance that night…

Why would Sasuke be in a brothel anyways? I had never once thought he was the type to do such a thing… but the more I thought about it, the more unconvinced I became with my judgment of him. He did have many… admirers, to say the least, and he was still just a man… And it seems that every time I think I've got something right about him, he turns around and proves me wrong, over, and over, and over again.

And just then, at that moment, the room, which had been loud with the noise of a party, went silent. If a pin had dropped, you'd have heard it clearly as it clattered to the floor. I knew without looking that my long-awaited target had arrived, and I kept my knowledge blind out of something like embarrassment.

Whispering began to coarse through the room between whores and men alike. I still kept my eyes glued to the floor beside me. I couldn't deny that he would undoubtedly notice me. It's not like pink hair is a common trait amongst these people. The foreboding feeling that had been hanging over me all day had amounted to its ultimate height, and I just waited for him to approach me.

Minutes passed. Nothing happened.

Why hadn't he noticed me yet? Was I right? Does he really have no interest in me? I lifted my eyes finally, scanning the room fearfully. I expected to see him darkly escorting an attractive whore to the largest and fanciest room available.

But I was very, very wrong.

Instead, he was standing not a foot from me, his arms at his sides and his body in a tense posture, his onyx eyes locking onto my eyes as they met. I gasped in surprise; he made no reaction. It was apparent that the majority of eyes in the room were upon us… I assume that Sasuke, being someone of regular appearance there, had made an impression on them, just as he had on any other group that knew him before. By the looks on their faces, though, I could tell that they were genuinely surprised by his actions… and that scared me.

"You were running away, huh?"

--x--

A/N: I hope this chapter wasn't too sucky...

Reviews are always nice.


	6. Chapter 5

A/N: I really, really, really hope that Sasuke returns to Konoha soon. Oh man, I'd be so ecstatic that I think I'd pass out. xD

I wrote this... because I felt like it. I'm not sure if I'm content with it yet...

Chapter Stats  
Rating: PG-13/R for language  
Pairings: Sorta kinda SasuSaku

I don't own Naruto.

--x--

**C h a p t e r F i v e : P r o v o c a t i o n**

I had not heard Sasuke approach me, even though the room had been dead silent, with the exception of a low, buzzing whisper from onlookers. Although I was slightly surprised by his entrance, I was even more surprised by his nervous appearance. It did not seem typical to me that Uchiha Sasuke would be at all ashamed of anything he did, for he always had a justification. But at that moment in time, the discomfort was apparent on his generally stoic face.

"You were running away, huh?" Even the tone of his voice was unsteady. This, or something else, must have shaken him up badly… had he been anyone else, I wondered if he'd be able to speak at all.

His lack of composure empowered me. "You're not one to talk." I spun on my stool to face him, my bare legs crossed and chest pushed out as far as it would go. "What do you want, Sasuke-kun?"

A round of whispering and laughter circulated throughout the room, assumedly at my show of familiarity for Sasuke. He looked none too happy at this, and anger began to glint in his onyx eyes. I began to consider his pride like a chain around his neck that I could pull and drag him with. It was useful… although I had to remember that the chain could break at any time, and he'd slip through my fingers…

"Sakura…" He was about to say something else, but he stopped, seemingly realizing that the crowd people in the brothel was eagerly waiting to hear our conversation play out. Instead, he whipped his sword out and effortlessly swiped the head clean off of a man's shoulders from a few feet away without ever taking his eyes off of me. It took at least ten seconds, very painful, silent seconds, for anyone to realize what had just happened. The head hit the ground with a sickening thud, and the body then collapsed, spraying blood in every which direction.

I was shocked to see that the crowd did not panic. After a moment, they took to the other side of the room and went about their business, assumedly out of drunkenness, perhaps a little insanity, but most likely out of experience. One of the two bartenders left their post and dragged the body out of the room, leaving the severed head to stare blankly at the wall beside us. Sasuke sheathed his sword and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"You're working here?"

I was still stunned, but managed to get out a, "Yeah."

"Why?"

His prodding was annoying me as I slowly came back to reality. "What does it matter to you?"

"I'll hire you," he replied nonchalantly, inclining his head slightly.

And that's how he said it. Just like that, so simply, as if it carried absolutely no weight at all. My eyes widened at him and my jaw fell ajar, and he seemed to puff his chest out further, proud that his response had drawn this reaction from me.

I quickly regained my composure, though I could feel my body begin to shake. "Alright…"

Now what do I do? Itachi had not given me any details on what I was to do once he'd approached me! Should I actually have sex with him? And how exactly does this work as a step towards my goal of revenge?

Sasuke was already en route to an open private room. He stopped before entering, turning his head slightly to regard me over his shoulder. While I was already a nervous wreck, he was completely unaffected. Annoyance and resentment pulsed in my veins as I stood up and made my way to him, sparing the disembodied head an awkward glance as I passed.

--x--

"Unbelievable." Naruto's words are full of an unidentifiable emotion. "I… didn't think you had it in you, Sakura…"

The continuing lack of –chan has me biting my lip. His disappointment in me is worse than his anger.

"This is surprising. I never would have thought that Sasuke was a sex fiend…" Kakashi says in total seriousness, although the phrase, given any other circumstance, would have had me laughing hysterically.

I lower my head. "It's not that simple…"

--x--

Sasuke entered first, waited until I followed, then shut the door behind me. I walked dazedly to the center of the room, observing it with glazed eyes. The unsanitary condition of this space was sickening… how was I supposed to have sex here? With Uchiha Sasuke?

Itachi… why didn't you tell me what to do? Hatred for the devious man stirred in my stomach.

I couldn't shake the feeling that this was a trap. The notion was intensified when Sasuke locked the door and turned to face me.

Everything was silent, with the exception of my heartbeat as it throbbed anxiously in my chest.

"How much?"

I jumped slightly. "How much what?"

"How much do I have to pay you?"

Oh. Right, I'm a whore… prices… I never thought about that. My mind raced for an answer, but no reasonable numbers came to mind. I'd have to bullshit my way out of this one.

"It depends on how good you are." My cheeks were burning, and I was sure that he could tell, but I made no attempt to hide it.

His head tilted to one side, and a mild smirk grew on his lips. "You've never done this before."

Oh no, he's not tearing me down so easily. "How can you be so sure?" I replied indignantly.

He simply grunted in response, his smirk growing wider. At once, he disappeared and reappeared in front of me, and I stepped back in surprise. Yes, Sasuke and Itachi were really no different… in this way, at least.

Onyx eyes stared down at me condescendingly. "Go back to Konoha."

There he went again, underestimating me. "I don't want to."

"There's more to it than that." With a flick of his wrist, Sasuke had removed my bra without even stirring the air around us. Cold air hit my newly exposed body parts like a ton of bricks and I let out a gasp. My arms flew up impulsively to attempt to cover myself from his view, although my attempt was in vain.

He did not avert his eyes from mine, however. "You don't belong here, Sakura."

My mind raced for a further action. I could, right now, have sex with him… my pride would be safe and sound, but I can't say the same for my body. I could tell him the truth… and risk being slaughtered by that sword in a blink of an eye. I could come up with a story… but what?

Better yet…

I closed my eyes, and then at once embraced, nearly tackled Sasuke's torso, bursting into tears. He was taken aback; his hands darted to my shoulders, and I could hear his heart beat quickly from my position on his chest. I sobbed into his exposed skin… the tears were coming almost naturally. So naturally, in fact, that I wasn't so sure that they were fake.

"Sasuke-kun!" I wailed dramatically, pulling him closer. "Y-you're right! I… don't know what to do!"

I knew quite well that begging for mercy did not usually work well on Uchihas, especially Sasuke. Reflecting back on his defection from Konoha, I realized that I had used the same technique, and it had failed miserably. However, those tears had come from true sadness of a child… these tears were coming from the conniving mind of a tainted adult… or were they?

"I already told you," he muttered. "Go back to Konoha. I'm sure Naruto is worried about you."

"What do you care about that?" I snapped, my head snapping from its location on his chest to meet his bored gaze. "You left us!"

Sasuke snorted. "Don't start with this again. You know very well why I had to leave."

Bingo; he had walked dead into the crosshairs of my deadliest response, one that I had been formulating since the moment he had waltzed through the doors to this forsaken place. "Oh, what was that reason again? To spend the rest of your life chasing your brother, the one who only humors your strength? Or was it just secretly to start going to brothels and hiring out the cheap whores?!"

Instantaneously, his eyes bled into red, and my back harshly met with the wall with a crack, his arm against my neck to keep me there. I did not release my hold on him, though it began to wither as my strength began to drain away. Although I knew my insult would dig deep, I had not envisioned this type of response from him.

"You know _nothing_." He reminded me, in this enraged state, of a snake, coiled and ready to strike at a moment's notice. Sharingan whirled dangerously, and even through my anger, fear began to build.

I tried to speak, but found no air to utilize as his arm pressed further into my throat. "You think I'm here to fuck these dirty whores? You really believe that I'd stoop that low?" he snarled, teeth bearing. "I come here because I've heard that Itachi does!"

My thoughts began to blur as the lack of oxygen began to take its toll. My arms remained hooked around Sasuke, however.

"You don't know anything about that man, and if you really think my strength is not a force to be reckoned with, maybe I'll just show you how wrong you are! You'll die, naked and broken, like the little whore you wish to be!"

I felt heavy pressure on my gut, and my world, yet again, swirled into nothingness, the raging sight of Sasuke's Sharingan burned into my memory indefinitely.

--x--

A/N: WOO! Sasuke is a good boy, like Tobi!

Ehem. Review! (and thanks to those who have done so on previous chapters!)


	7. Chapter 6

A/N: Ohh mann, I'm so sorry for my lack of updates. I'm so busy nowadays, I just haven't had the time or motivation to sit down and write. I also apologize because this chapter is short. I just wanted to let you all know that I'm still alive and have every intention of finishing this story! Thanks to everyone who has left me kind reviews. It really does help.

Chapter Stats:  
Rating: PG-13 for themes  
Pairings: ItaSaku, minor SasuSaku

--x--

**C h a p t e r S i x : M y A w a k e n i n g**

The first thing that entered my consciousness was pain.

It wasn't a sharp pain, more like a dull throbbing that started in my gut and spread through every inch of my body like a disease. My mind was still somewhere between reality and the dark world it had been in for seemingly ages, and my body was still frozen still, even while the aching began to make itself known.

I felt a breath brush across my tingling cheek. It was like a gentle caress, and in my half-conscious state, I was comforted. The realization of what had happened to me before remained locked away in the back of my mind for a few minutes while this draft passed over and over across my skin.

Wouldn't it be nice if it was Sasuke's breath…?

The words crossed my mind like a quilt falling gently onto a mattress…

At once, the pain became a stabbing sensation, and I snapped into consciousness. My eyes bolted open and a gasp burst from my lips. I was immediately greeted by an unheavenly darkness and the sound of sarcastic laughter… a notion so different than the one that had encompassed me just seconds before…

My breathing came to a halt, and I clutched my stomach in agony with a weak hand. I tried desperately to form words, but none would come forth…

"Sakura."

Itachi. He's close.

I could never mistake that heartless tone.

It bit at something deep within me. Maybe it was my soul, acting as a catalyst to its slow decay.

"I'm surprised. Truly." His voice is no more than intonation on a breath. "You played this out very interestingly…"

My lips quivered as I finally began to force out my speech. "W-what…?"

"You've succeeded so far."

The previous events suddenly revealed themselves to my conscious mind, and my eyes widened, although there was nothing to see. Sasuke… knocked me out with a punch to the stomach… after reading me like a book… and I…

"How…?"

"Do you know where you are?" A cold hand had found its way to my cheek and began caressing it, although there was nothing gentle about the motion. "I'll tell you…"

I knew I was on a bed, then. I could feel a blanket wrapped around me lightly, and a soft pillow conformed to the shape of the back of my head. I certainly wasn't at the brothel… and logically, I wasn't home. I swallowed deeply as I considered these circumstances.

"My little brother's bed…"

Sasuke's bed? But didn't he say he'd kill me…? This wasn't adding up at all, and I strained to sit up, but was pushed back down firmly by an unseen limb.

"As I thought… he has a liking for you, Sakura…" The breath… there it was again, brushing over my face… only this time, it felt icy. "…just as I have."

My breathing stopped again as I felt something touch my lips… something hot and wet. I tried to turn my head and pull away, but I was secured by two cold hands on either side of my face. The obtrusive warmth pushed itself between my lips and into my mouth carelessly… and began to roam around, lapping at my tongue and thoroughly examining every individual tooth.

Itachi's tongue… he was kissing me… without his lips.

Petrified, I helplessly allowed him to climb on top of me as he continued to explore my mouth. He kept my arms locked at my sides with his body weight as he did this, and he moved a hand to hold my chin while the other one began to trace my body.

Everything he did, even if it was heat on heat, was frozen solid. It was as if he was robotic and knew nothing of human feelings, only imitated them in a cruel form of mockery. I tried to ignore it, push it out of my head… my conscience cried for retaliation, but I couldn't do a thing…

Entranced by lust, my mind shut off and I began to respond to his tongue…

And at once, he was gone, replaced by the sound of soft footsteps that seemed too far away to be Itachi's.

--x--

"Itachi…" Naruto says solemnly as he fingers his crystal pendant. "He has a way with ruining people's lives."

I can't agree with him more. "He's like a virus… taking over an entire situation with his inhuman will… and manipulating everyone involved to assume that what they're doing is right…"

"…and all the while he's reaping the benefit of your ignorance," Kakashi adds.

As I think about it more in depth, the existence of one like Itachi is terrifying. Is it possible that everything that happens to us has been planned and plotted by someone else? Are we being forced to toil and survive in someone else's mind games? The surrealistic touch that the cryptic man has left upon me during only my short time as his pawn is fearful, indeed.

"Continue, Sakura…" Naruto ends his sentence abruptly, and I have a feeling, even while I keep my gaze averted from him, that he nearly added a suffix of familiarity to my name once again… I surmise that it may be out of pity, if nothing else.

--x--

Finally free to move, I sat up shakily, keeping a tight grip on my gut where it hurt the most. The sheet that had been tucked around me slid down, and I was surprised that the cold air in the room did not strike my newly revealed body parts like knives. It took a moment to realize that I was clothed in a comfortable shirt and boxers, my bra and panties gone and somewhat missed.

I was startled by the sound of a creaking wooden door shortly to my left, and I gasped and slid back suddenly, nearly falling out of the bed and catching myself with fingernails in the mattress.

The noise I had made must have surprised the newcomer as well, as I heard a sharp intake of breath and a sudden, heavy step, then quiet. Neither of us dared to breathe for a few tense moments.

"You're awake." I was not shocked to hear Sasuke's apathetic voice finally break the silence. There was a light click, and a lantern in his hand was ignited, letting a calm light dance through the room. I could see him clearly now, his face blank as usual and his outfit consisting of the usual black.

He eyed me with disinterest and placed the lantern on a table. "You're hungry by now, I suppose."

I wasn't sure how to feel. I hated him for hurting me, emotionally and now physically… but even though he could have easily taken that to a higher level and killed me off altogether, here I was in his bed, safe and sound.

Even though Sasuke had wronged me, this action of his had my mind reeling. This proved that he was still human… even if he didn't want to admit it.

For the first time since this excursion began, I could see a sharp contrast between him and his kin.

He looked annoyed as he made his way to the edge of the bed. "Well…? Don't make me ask again."

I wasn't sure if I was hungry or not… but I did have some other things to take care of. "Where am I… and why am I here?" Even though Itachi had informed me of the former, I needed verification.

A glint of strange emotion passed through the opaque darkness of his orbs. "I could have killed you, you know."

"Yeah…" I glanced down my front, noticing that the shirt provided for me was indeed high-collared and blue… one of the shirts from his days in Konoha. Where he had gotten it from, I shall never know, since I was sure that he had left them…

"But I…" His gaze roamed around the room. "I couldn't."

"Why?" It was certainly not a common thing for Uchiha Sasuke to show mercy, and the gravity of the notion was nothing short of bizarre to both of us, I think.

"How the hell should I know…?" he murmured. "Don't think I didn't want to… I just couldn't."

So typical for him to pretend that his heart was as void of sentiment as Itachi's was…

…but I know he was not… never…

…he wasn't capable of it. I refuse to believe anything other than this, because I saw it with my own eyes, heard it with my own ears, and even felt it with my own skin…

By the time it was all over, this was never clearer to me.

--x--

A/N: -hangs head- Again, sorry for lack of length. And I hope this part of the plot wasn't obscenely predictable...


	8. Chapter 7

A/N: Finally got a chance to update! -sigh- I'm not completely happy with this chapter either, but it's important. I promise, the next one will be a lot more eventful. And soon, I'll have to decide whether or not a lemon is suitable for this story. (If you have an opinion, please share it!)

Chapter Stats:  
Rating: PG  
Pairings: Mild SasuSaku

--x--

**C h a p t e r S e v e n : M y T r u e G o a l**

"I'm leaving to get something to eat."

Sasuke's hard, gilded voice cut through the silence like a scythe. I kept my gaze down, because if I was to meet his, I knew I would falter.

He stood up from the bed with his usual nonchalance, though I knew he was mentally shaking himself for revealing to me his inability to cut me down, and swaggered to the door. "Since you won't answer me, I'm not bringing you anything back…"

"…something small," I managed to say. "Just… something small."

He stopped briefly, and then departed swiftly.

I let out a breath that I didn't realize I was holding, and let my tensed muscles relax. My body came in contact with the bed with a light rustle. Why did he have to complicate this any further? I had had my mind so set on the task of revenge… and by simply admitting that he couldn't kill me, and by bringing me here… wherever I was… he had rearranged all of my plans.

My mind drifted to Itachi… who had just a few minutes ago been on top of me in this very bed. I had been following him so blindly… how did I feel about him? He was "interested" in me? I wasn't sure what to think about him. I knew I had felt lust… but he was a dangerous person. I was already pushing my luck by going along with his plans… whatever they were.

Apparently, I had succeeded, so far. Sasuke had brought me back here… and he'd even offered to give me food. There was no doubt that I was under his skin, though to what extent, I was unsure. But now that I'm here, what am I to do?

_If you find his strengths and weaknesses… you can destroy him._

Yes… that's what Itachi had told me. Strengths and weaknesses? What kind…? Emotionally, I was sure his brother knew quite well what they were. Did he want me to find the weaknesses of his techniques? And I still could not connect my current mission to revenge on Sasuke. What good did simply knowing him do me?

Though, I did have a logical suspicion…

--x--

I stare out the window with a deadened gaze at the overcast sky. "I should have left, right then and there. I could have left Sasuke's apartment without him ever seeing me go. I should have betrayed Itachi instead." I feel sick to the stomach; normally I would have been crying, but my tear ducts have long gone dry.

"Sakura…" Kakashi says in a monotone. "What happened to Sasuke?"

I turn from the window and meet his one-eyed gaze tiredly. "It's important that you know the entire story…"

The broken man with makeshift wings did not fall in a sentence comprised of the three words that would describe the answer to his question under different circumstances.

No, it's something that cannot be simplified. If it was, I would not be speaking of this recollection in its full version to these people… who I am sure feel betrayed already.

I dread the moment I must draw this to a close. I already know that they'll never speak to me again… I won't deny the inevitable.

--x--

I must have fallen asleep just after those thoughts had passed, because the next thing I remember was being shaken by a large hand on my shoulder. I couldn't help but moan slightly as I struggled to get away from the hand, wanting to go back to sleep in this comfortable place and forget about all of the troubles that plagued my life. But the hand was persistent.

"Nghh… please… let me sleep just a little longer…" I groaned. Slowly, the hand retracted from my limb, and all was silent. I lie still for a few minutes, but the shaking did not resume.

It must have been Sasuke, why did he…? I opened my eyes slowly, and was no less than shocked to see his face in a very close proximity to mine. His eyes were closed, and he was stationary, simply leaning against the bed with his head so close to mine, and his bare hands holding it there, entangling themselves in his jet black hair…

I was confused, as you two probably are now. Who does that, and why? It was the strangest thing I had ever seen. He remained there for quite some time, obviously unaware that I was watching him closely through narrow eyes. Or had he fallen asleep as he crouched and leaned against the bed?

I had the time to examine his young face then… and I can't say that if I hadn't known it was young, that I would have described it as such. Although it was perfectly shaped and flawless as it always had been, the years of visceral torture had become clearly evident in the darkness under his eyes and the lifeless color of his skin. I felt quite sad for him, then, for all of the things that he had gone through in his short life up to that point. All the things that…

…Itachi put him through?

And yet, here I was, ready to take it to the next level and use his feelings against him.

But the other side of my mind was right there to defend my reasons… He had left me in the dust. He had never cared about me. He had called me weak. He had used Konoha...

No. Those reasons did not justify revenge anymore. I couldn't hate him… even if Itachi was right.

I decided, right then and there, that my reason for this was not revenge. What I was looking for… I had realized it, finally.

I wanted to prove to Uchiha Sasuke that I was not weak… no matter what it took.

I didn't hate him for thinking so… it only made me want to try harder.

"Sasuke-kun…" I said gently, just in case he was asleep.

At once, he was on his feet, looking completely flustered as he faced away from me. I chuckled a little, and I could literally feel his humiliation in the thick air of the room.

"What's wrong?" I still spoke gently, this time for my own good.

He gestured with a jerk of the head to a paper bag that was situated on the bedside table just to my right. "Onigiri." I couldn't help but laugh slightly at his defiant tone, which I knew would irk him, and he watched me darkly over his shoulder as I reached for the bag.

"Thanks, Sasuke-kun," I said pleasantly. "You didn't have to get me anything."

As I expected, he said nothing, only remained standing vacantly in the middle of his bedroom as I hastily rid of the wrappings and bit into my food. I suppose I was hungrier than I thought I was, because the ball of rice was eaten in a matter of moments. I realized that I must have been eating like a pig… and embarrassment washed through my mind, even though I knew he was trying to ignore me anyways.

"I'm taking you back to Konoha tomorrow." Sasuke's voice was its usual monotone.

"I can't go back there, I already told you that," I replied carefully as I swallowed the last of the rice. "I've got… really nowhere to go." I had to somehow convince him to allow me to live with him, at least for a short amount of time. I knew it was a stretch… but then again, anything with Sasuke was.

Most of all, this was a test of Itachi's reliability.

"You can't stay here," he said firmly, finally turning to face me and crossing his strenuous arms over his chest.

"Please, Sasuke-kun… just for a short time, while I'm looking for somewhere else to go." Tears did not work on this Uchiha… how else could I appeal to him physically? I sat upright on my knees, leaning towards him, allowing him to see only a little ways down the broad collar of his old shirt.

"I can't allow it." His gaze was blank… I needed to push him further. I chewed on my lip slightly, and I thought I saw his onyx eyes twitch in its direction.

"Not even for a few days? I'm sure I could be of use to you somehow while I'm here…" I wasn't sure if Sasuke would pick up on my implication. He never did think that way.

His eyes scanned me cautiously. "What are you trying to pull here?"

Was he on to me? I'm sure the brief look of panic that crossed through my eyes did not go unseen by the man, yet he made no reference to it, even as his gaze bore into them. I realized that he had taken my words in the way they had been intended, which was mildly news to me.

"What… do you mean?" Shit, I had been doing so well… but history began to repeat itself, and my confidence began to drain away before his opaque eyes. In the end, if I was to complete my task, I'd have to learn to stand up to him! I sank back into a crossed-legged stance on the bed and kept my hands in my lap.

Sasuke's face was evident of accusation. "We meet up for the first time in years, and even though you know well that I want nothing to do with you, you try your hardest to get on my fucking nerves." His tone was more harsh and colder than usual. "Even for you… it's been more annoying than usual."

"Sasuke-kun, I just need somewhere to--"

He cut me off. "You know I can't have bonds, Sakura…" The words were spat out like they left a bad taste in his mouth. "But yet you keep on trying to mend the one I broke so many years ago. Give it up, and go home."

"I'm not trying to mend anything! I just want somewhere to stay!" I retorted, slightly annoyed. "If you can't do that for me, then you're even more like your brother than I thought you were!"

I swear… I hadn't meant for that to come out again. I should have learned my lesson, but yet… the words were so true. I braced myself for his rage as his Sharingan spun out and his eyes locked on mine.

The room was horribly tense, and the silence screamed loudly for minutes with us keeping eye contact in somewhat of a hellbent staring contest. I found myself struggling to breathe, but I forced my eyes to remain locked on his, even though my mind was shrieking and begged me to back down.

Sasuke yet again surprised me by being the first to break the contact. The red faded into black, and he looked strained as he stood there before me, staring blankly at the floor.

"I'm… sorry, Sasuke… I didn't mean…" My arm unintentionally raised itself slightly and outstretched to him.

"You can stay for a week," he muttered, and turned in place. I saw his jaw move, as if he had something else he wanted to say, but he only closed it again and moved gloomily out of the room, slamming the heavy door on the way out.

I closed my eyes tiredly and felt my lips curl into a triumphant smile. I was in, and I had a week to work some magic.

It's too bad that I'm not a magician…

--x--

A/N: Review, si vous plait.


	9. Chapter 8

A/N: Alright, finally, I like this chapter. I don't know why, I just feel like it works.

Chapter Stats  
Rating: PG  
Pairings: minor SasuSaku

--x--

**C h a p t e r E i g h t : H u m a n i t y**

After Sasuke had left, I remained stagnant on the bed for a time, simply reviewing my situation over and over, trying to contemplate meanings and circumstances far beyond the normal. I thought about Sasuke and his bittersweet actions, and Itachi and his unreadable ones. I wondered what you two would think of all of this… and I wondered what my own mother would say. Yet, none of the things that came to mind spoke loudly, and I remained wrapped in my own judgments, pushing aside or even not caring about what others would say.

If I was going to prove myself to Sasuke, I would have to throw away any of the morals that I had kept so close to my heart. Playing by the rules was out of the question. I realized that in order to do this through my current means, I'd have to manipulate Uchiha Itachi for my own use.

Difficult? Yes. Impossible? At this point, nothing seemed to be.

At the time, though he was an astonishing person of unknowns, I didn't realize how deep his web of control ran. Maybe he had planned for me to get this idea into my head from the very beginning. Maybe it didn't matter at all.

Things were about to play out very interestingly, and I wonder still if that weasel knew it all before it even happened.

I didn't know what time it was. I estimated that five days had passed since my departure from Konoha. I slid out of the bed, and my bare feet against the cold wooden floor sent chills through my spine. The light from the lantern that had been left in the room flickered gently, and through it, I could see a pair of sandals near the door. They certainly would never have fit Sasuke as he was now, and I wondered, as I slipped them on, if they, like the clothes, belonged to him when he was younger. They were still a bit too big for me, but they would do. I had to get a bearing on my location… exactly what kind of place did Uchiha Sasuke reside in?

I put a careful hand on the doorknob and twisted it. It slid with ease, and I pulled the thick door open, only to be greeted by darkness on the other side. I bit my lip and grabbed the lantern, which was filled to half-capacity of kerosene. That was at least enough to explore this household.

The light brightened the room before me, which was, apparently, a small hallway. I was at its polar end, and at the other side was another room, its door ajar. I could faintly see the outline of a toilet in the translucent darkness that encompassed it.

Swinging the lamp to the side, I could see a sharp staircase that led to a traditional sliding door at the bottom. A weak light, assumedly from the moon, shone through it, illuminating a bit of the bottom level of the house.

It only occurred to me at that moment that Sasuke was not in the house. Or, at least, his chakra presence was nowhere to be found. He must have stormed out after I had hurt his pride… How predictable… I smirked to myself.

I carefully made my way down the stairs, keeping one hand on a thin banister and the other tightly around the handle of the lantern. As I stepped onto the second-to-last step, my left sandal, which was apparently bigger than I thought, slid forward uncomfortably, and I tried to adjust it with my next step. This only made me unsteady, and I nearly went crashing to the floor. I let out a muffled cry and tried to grasp the banister with the lantern hand, sending said object flying.

"Shit!" I cursed, knowing that the floor, made of wood, would be ignited by the flame if the lantern was to break. I forced my eyes shut and waited to hear the glass shatter.

But it never did.

"If you wanted a tour of my house, why didn't you just ask?" Sasuke's velvety voice was bored-toned as usual.

"Huh…?" I whirled around, and was predictably greeted by the sight of said Uchiha, who held the previously-airborne lamp in his hand. I felt a blush spread across my face, and I was quick to mutter, "Sorry…"

He simply shrugged. "It doesn't matter what happens to this place. I found it abandoned. Since I move around a lot, it's not worth paying for anything."

"Oh." His explanation was unexpected. I took the last step and stood beside Sasuke, looking up at him with curious eyes. He watched me tiredly, and seemed a bit puzzled as to why I was standing there.

"Well… aren't you going to show me around?" I said pleasantly.

He raised an eyebrow. "It's two o'clock in the morning."

This surprised me a bit. I knew it wasn't the night that I had been knocked out… so I must have been unconscious that entire day.

Reading my expression, he sighed. "You should go back to bed…" He turned to walk away.

Where had he come from just then, anyways? Had he, all that time, been in the house? Or had he just coincidentally appeared when I lost my balance?

"How… were you there so quick to catch the lantern?" I spouted out. Sasuke's response was a glance over the shoulder that told me, in no uncertain terms, that my question was ridiculous. He continued on out of the room, in through a doorway that was situated to the right of the staircase.

He must have been in the house the whole time, completely masking his chakra.

I stood there in the dark nervously, for he had taken the lantern with him. Did he really expect me to return to his bed and sleep? Assumedly not.

I followed Sasuke's path into the next room, where the light had gone, glowing half-heartedly from the corner of the room on top of a small windowsill where it had been set. Sasuke sat articulately in a chair that faced a plain wooden table. He didn't bother to glance at me as I entered, or as I eyed him.

Did this dark person really care for me? I found it hard to believe. If I was to complete my goal, I'd have to make it so, and I supposed that the best way to start was to find out where I currently stood. I took a deep breath and spoke carefully.

"So… you can't have any bonds, right?"

His eyes snapped to me, though his body didn't shift at all. His silence was a bold answer to my question. I was obviously annoying him, which is metaphorically, and sometimes literally, playing with fire… but this was vital.

"That's a no, but… can you have feelings?"

My words were heavy on us both. He looked bewildered for a second, although the stoic façade was quickly restored. Perhaps this was a loophole in his explanations that he had not explored before.

"I know it's none of my business… it's just something I've been thinking about," I continued. "Hate is your life… but do you feel anything else?"

Sasuke's body was rigid, and his gaze was locked on mine. "Even if I did, would it matter?"

I nodded slowly. "Everyone's feelings are important… no matter what they are."

He loosened slightly, and his gaze dropped from mine, rather staring impassively at the wall before him. "I don't need feelings anymore."

"But are you saying that you don't have them?" I responded.

"Hn. It doesn't matter," he muttered. "Go back to bed, Sakura. Be glad that I'm allowing you to stay at all."

I didn't want to leave. It was strange that I was getting him to talk at all… and I didn't want it to stop.

"It does matter, Sasuke-kun." It was physically obvious that he was trying to ignore me. "Why did you decide that I could stay?"

He was grinding his teeth. "It doesn't matter. Shut up and leave, or I'll reconsider."

I narrowed my eyes. "What are you so afraid of?"

Again, his eye jerked in my direction. "Fear? Hardly," he growled. "I don't have to tell you anything."

I sighed. "You're right, you don't… but if I'm going to live with you for a week, I need to know what's going on in your head." He only closed his eyes in response. I had a strange feeling that his anger was fabricated…

"I'm not asking you to reveal to me your deepest, darkest secrets… I just need some verification… I… I need to know you're still human." That hadn't come out the way I had wanted it to, but I realized that it worked much better this way.

Sasuke was silent, but I could tell that his mind was spinning, searching for a cocky, arrogant, Uchiha-hatred-esque retort to come back with, but he was finding none. After a moment, he digressed.

"And how do you want me to do that?"

"Show me that you have feelings."

He scoffed. "Do you want me to draw my own blood and cry about it?"

"That's not the type of feeling I'm talking about… and you know that damn well." An arrogant smirk was making its way across his face… but I wasn't about to let it get so far. It was the most daring thing I may have ever done, but in order to make him eat his pride, I'd have to do something rash. As much as I hate clichés… it must be said: desperate times call for desperate measures.

"Kiss me."

The smirk dropped off of his face like a lead balloon. He turned to face me directly, his expression a mixture of shock and irritation. In the flickering light of the lantern, he looked somewhat terrifying.

"And what would that prove, other than that you'll never grow out of your childhood fantasies?" he retorted darkly.

I was just as impassive. "It's easy to tell if someone means a kiss or not. I don't care if you even think of me as an acquaintance anymore… because it's not about me; if you've got an ounce of humanity in you, put it forth and show me."

And he didn't know what to say to that.

--x--

A/N: I don't have time to re-read this! If you see any big errors, please tell me.

And review!


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